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Fat, Fifty(ish) and Female

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lisabinco
lisabinco Posts: 1,016 Member
in Social Groups
I just recently heard the term "3F" which is apparently used by the medical establishment to describe a fat woman in her fifties. It's that common nowadays that we've been reduced to an acronym. I'd never heard it before, even though I was all three of those for several years. (I am still female and in my fifties nevertheless.) Has anyone else ever heard of this phrase?

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  • Tigerbell1221
    Tigerbell1221 Posts: 18
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    I am actually a physician who is taking a sabbatical to raise my youngest at home till she gets into kindergarten (which she just started......yahhh!!! ). What you are referring to is a teaching acronym that is used in medical schools to help students remember a common condition found in women. It is actually FAT, FEMALE, FORTY AND FERTILE. And it refers to the population of patients that are the most commonly susceptible to gall stones.
  • lisabinco
    lisabinco Posts: 1,016 Member
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    Well, that's interesting. So it's really "4F" then; I never knew. Makes sense, though. Thanks!
    Makes me even more happy that I am no longer TWO of those tags -- "forty" nor "fat."
  • AtlantaWriter
    AtlantaWriter Posts: 91 Member
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    I'm a former nurse, and we used to call women gallbladder patients the 4F's: fat, female, forty, and flatulent. (I don't believe it was an actual medical term, though.) I was in my 20s and am horrified I ever participated in that nomenclature! How belittling and unfair. I know plenty of fit males who've had their gallbladders out! And I'm 59 and my gallbladder is fine, thank you very much!
  • funandfresh
    funandfresh Posts: 2 Member
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    Hi, My name is Linda and I had to respond your post about the 3 F'S . My doctor told me it was fat , fair and fifty, which is why we have gallbladder problems. I had mine out 2 years ago!
  • lisabinco
    lisabinco Posts: 1,016 Member
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    Haha! So it's a pretty common term, I guess. Yes, it does not sound like a nice term. I'm surprised they would actually use it. Sadly, it must be very common to see forty-ish fat females.

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